COMPUTER TAMPERING: Hotel hacker lists unlawful lodging | While Airbnb has caught flack for helping so-called “illegal hotels” proliferate throughout the city, they certainly can’t be blamed for one tech-savvy troublemaker who took that concept to new heights. On Fri., May 13, the 53-year-old man, who lives on the 200 block of Eighth Ave. (btw. W. 21st & W. 22nd Sts.) reported to police that someone had hacked his Gmail account, and then used it (and the personal information they found) to open an Airbnb account, and subsequently post ads online from it. The victim assured authorities that he had never used Airbnb or had an account there before the hack, which he dates to beginning back in Nov. 2015. In addition to the 10th Precinct police, the man also reported the activity to the New York State Attorney General’s office for Internet fraud. Thankfully, the man changed his Gmail password, and no further hacks have happened — but the perp still remains at large.
GRAND LARCENY: Robbing Peter at St. Paul’s | In an item that confirms that, indeed, nothing is sacred anymore in this day and age, a 45-year-old man became the victim of a theft on Sun., May 15, while at the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Paul (315 W. 22nd St., btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.). At around 11:30am, the man left $1,300 worth of property — including a Nikon digital camera and a Samsung Galaxy smartphone — on the second level of the church, and then went downstairs for about an hour. That’s when one lost soul — flagrantly disregarding the third and eighth commandments — had the opportunity to snatch the stuff and flee the scene, before any fire or brimstone could rain down and alert others of the unrepentant sinner in their midst. Though the eyes of God may always be watching, the church had to inform authorities that video surveillance (both inside and out of the building) was not available — and after three days without the stuff miraculously reappearing, it seems fairly unlikely the victim will be welcoming back his prodigal property, or that the devilish delinquent responsible will ever face judgment day (at least not in this life).
CRIMINAL TRESPASS: Bistro a no-go | While the prices at Starbucks might seem criminal, they sure beat the (literally) criminal price one man paid for an unauthorized visit to an alternative java spot. At about 1:15pm on Sat., May 14, a 35-year-old security officer was patrolling around the first floor of the Starrett-Lehigh building (601 W. 26th St., btw. 11th & 12th Aves.), when he noticed a man enter through the building’s freight entrance without permission. He next saw ther man walk through an exit gate, and then, for reasons unclear, walk into a closed-off café area — again, without permission or authority to do so. The guard alerted officers about the violating visitor, and the intrusive 34-year-old was arrested in short order.
GRAND LARCENY: Lotta loot lost on lot | One might assume that a paid parking lot would be a more secure place than the streets for a vehicle — but that assumption made an, uh, “fool,” out of one 52-year-old man who left his car at a lot at 456 11th Ave. (at W. 37th St.) on Sat., May 14. At about 4:30pm, when the man returned from the event he was attending at the nearby Javits Center to pick up his car, he noticed that a number of items he left inside it were missing. When he asked the parking attendant about this, the employee said that the car had remained parked on the lot, and was locked when he went to retrieve it — but also noted that the vehicle’s key was placed on top of the driver’s side front tire while parked. The man wound up losing a $600 iPad, a $1,200 Lenovo laptop, and a $100 Jetpack WiFi hotspot. Video, unfortunately, was not available at the scene of the incident.
—SEAN EGAN
THE 10th PRECINCT: Located at 230 W. 20th St. (btw. Seventh & Eighth Aves.). Commander: Deputy Inspector Michele Irizarry. Main number: 212-741-8211. Community Affairs: 212-741-8226. Crime Prevention: 212-741-8226. Domestic Violence: 212-741-8216. Youth Officer: 212-741-8211. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-924-3377. Detective Squad: 212-741-8245. The Community Council meets on the last Wed. of the month, 7 p.m., at the 10th Precinct or other locations to be announced. The next meeting is May 25.
THE 13th PRECINCT: Located at 230 E. 21st St. (btw. Second & Third Aves.). Deputy Inspector: David Ehrenberg. Call 212-477-7411. Community Affairs: 212-477-7427. Crime Prevention: 212-477-7427. Domestic Violence: 212-477-3863. Youth Officer: 212-477-7411. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-477-4380. Detective Squad: 212-477-7444. The Community Council meets on the third Tues. of the month, 6:30 p.m., at the 13th Precinct. The next meeting is June 21.
CASH FOR GUNS | $100 cash will be given (no questions asked) for each handgun, assault weapon or sawed-off shotgun, up to a maximum payment of $300. Guns are accepted at any Police Precinct, PSA or Transit District.
